Doom??

Global warming, runaway greenhouse effect, rising sea levels, retreating glaciers. We’ve all heard these terms. The problem is real; the planet is warming due to an overabundance of greenhouse gases. But is it inevitable? Dire news like this might make us think it is.



After all, have we, as a society, ever been able to collectively improve the environment?



Headlines may make us think that we have not. But we have made, and are continuing to make, significant environmental improvements on many fronts. Here we will focus upon the unsung improvements in both measuring and reducing toxins in the environment.














Revisiting the Past

Let’s take a moment to remember what things were like back in the 70’s and 80s.













But What About the Data?

Let’s put our “data where our mouths are”. For this study, we’ll specifically focus upon the European Environment Agency’s AirBase data.


Similar data was discovered within Canada and the United States.



First we’ll study Total suspended particulates (aerosol):










Next we’ll look at Toluene (air):







Next we’ll look at Nitrogen monoxide (air):







Next we’ll look at Nitrogen dioxide (air):







Next we’ll look at Benzene (air):







Next we’ll look at Black smoke (air):







Next we’ll look at Sulphur dioxide (air):







Finally we’ll cover Strong acidity (air):






While not every metric is improving as significantly, we are seeing improvement across many different unhealthy and environmentally dangerous chemicials.











Improvements in Measurement

Equally importantly, and not captured in the data above, there is significantly more data capture in recent times.



















Many of the countries which began measuring later were countries that are less economically developed.


This suggests that an improved environment needn’t be merely a “luxury” of the rich countries.






Looking Back Once Again

We began with some images of Joliet, IL.


Joliet was not alone, pollution was significantly worse a few generations ago, across the globe and within the US.


We’ll come back to the US, to look at the scourge of the rust belt, the Cuyahoga River, where the mouth ends in Cleveland.




The mouth of the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) then:

Cuyahoga on Fire



The mouth of the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) now:

Cuyahoga in Cleveland





Along the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) then:

Cuyahoga in 1973



Along the Cuyahoga (Cleveland) now:

Cuyahoga in 2012 A

Cuyahoga in 2012 B

Cuyahoga in 2012 C